System and method for providing user names for network addresses

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems for providing user names for network addresses in messages such as SMS, MMS and EMS are disclosed. A data base is provided for storage in a mobile device that associates a user name with at least a portion of a network address. A system is provided for a mobile device that converts the network address transmitted with the message into a user name and displays the message with the user name.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The instant application is a continuation application of, and claimspriority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/338,025, filed Dec. 18,2008. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/338,025 is incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to mobile device services. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to providing mobile deviceSMS, MMS EMS or similar messages with a user name for a service networkaddress.

BACKGROUND

Mobile devices are commonly used to exchange messages in many forms.Among those forms are messages that use standard Short Message Service(SMS). SMS provides the capability to send and receive shortalphanumeric messages to and from mobile devices. Another form ofmessage may use the standard Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). MMS isa cellular communication standard that is used to transmit messages thatinclude images, video, audio and other multi media objects. MMS is anextension of the SMS standard. Yet another type of messaging standard isEnhanced Messaging Service (EMS). EMS is based on standard SMSmechanisms. EMS takes advantage of the capability in SMS to includebinary data in a Short Message (SM) before the text message itself. EMSprovides the ability to send and receive objects such as sound,pictures, animation and formatted text. For the purpose of thisdisclosure, messages in SMS, MMS, EMS and similar formats are referredto as a Message Service Message (MSM).

Mobile service providers also provide a variety of services to theirsubscribers and utilize MSM as a way of communicating to theirsubscribers about these services. For example, a mobile service providermay offer ringtones and graphics that enable a subscriber to customizetheir wireless device to suit their tastes. Other services may includemusic downloads, games and a large number of applications such asmapping, traffic information, weather forecasts and sports reports.

The elements of a complete SMS (a type of MSM) message transactioninclude:

-   -   A header: identifies the type of message.    -   Service Center Timestamp    -   Originator Address: the phone number of the sender    -   Protocol Identifier    -   Data Coding Scheme    -   User Data Length: tells how long the message is    -   User Data: the message itself (140 bytes: 160 7-bit characters,        or 140 8-bit characters).

The originator's address is usually the senders telephone number, and inthe case of a message sent by a service or application provider, it maybe the network address of the provider. For example, an e-mail serviceprovider may have the number 1010100028 as its network address.Typically, this address will be displayed in the mobile device displayin the “From” field. However, the network address does not clearlycommunicate to the subscriber the identity of the sender of the message.

There is a need for a way to identify the network address of a senderwith a name that the subscriber can recognize.

SUMMARY

Systems and methods are provided herein for providing user names fornetwork addresses for originators of SMS, MMS EMS and similar messagesto be displayed in a mobile device. A data base is provided for storagein a mobile device that associates a user name with at least a portionof a network address. When the mobile device receives a message itconverts the network address to a user name and displays the messagewith the user name.

These and other features and advantages of various exemplary embodimentsof systems and methods according to this disclosure are described in, orare apparent from, the following detailed description of variousexemplary embodiments of the systems and methods of this subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various exemplary embodiments of this invention will be described indetail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like numeralsrepresent like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a non-limiting, exemplary method of providinga user name for a network address in an SMS display.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a non-limiting, exemplary method of displayinga user name for a network address in an SMS message displayed in amobile device.

FIG. 3 (a)-(e) are non-limiting, exemplary illustration of the variousinformation components and displays associated with an exemplary methodof displaying a user name for a network address in an MSM messagedisplayed in a mobile device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a non-limiting, exemplary wireless devicethat may be used in connection with an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a non-limiting, exemplary processor inwhich the present subject matter may be implemented.

FIG. 6 is an overall block diagram of an exemplary packet-based mobilecellular network environment, such as a GPRS network, in which thepresent subject matter may be implemented.

FIG. 7 illustrates a non-limiting, exemplary architecture of a typicalGPRS network as segmented into four groups.

FIG. 8 illustrates a non-limiting alternate block diagram of anexemplary GSM/GPRS/IP multimedia network architecture in which thepresent subject matter may be implemented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Providers of services to mobile device users use MSM as a way ofdelivering information and content to the users. The providers ofservices use a network address as the Originator Address in the TransferProtocol User Data Header (TP-UDH). These are usually a series ofalphanumeric characters that are displayed in the mobile device.

Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a method 10 of providing a User Name for anetwork address to a mobile device. At block 11, the service providerassociates a User Name with a portion of a network address. For example,if the network address for an e-mail service is 1010100028, the UserName “e-mail” may be associated with the first five digits (i.e. 10101).In the method embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the service provider mayinstruct the wireless device to store at least a portion of the networkaddress and associated User Name in a data base in a directory in astorage component of the mobile device (block 12). At block 13, themobile device would receive the instructions and data and store theportion of the network addresses and associated User Name in a directoryin a storage component of the mobile device. This information may bestored in a directory which may be hidden from the user. The serviceprovider would provide processing instructions to the wireless device toenable the wireless device to display the User Name associated with thenetwork address in a MSM received from that network address (block 14).At block 15 the mobile device would receive the processing instructions,typically in the form of an executable program application that can bestored in the mobile device.

FIG. 2 illustrates the methods 20 of converting the network address inan MSM to a User Name for display in the Mobile Device. At block 21, aservice provider sends an MSM to the mobile device of a user. An exampleof a message that a service provider may send may be an SMS message suchas “Ur e-mail storage capacity has been increased to 10 G.” At block 22,the mobile device receives the MSM, in this case an SMS message thatincludes the full network address in the Originator Address field. Atblock 23, the mobile device would run the processing instructionspreviously received and stored (block 15 in FIG. 1). The processinginstructions extract a portion of the network address from the MSM inblock 23. It should be noted that the network portion of the address canvary in length based on what a network operator or telecommunicationnetwork carrier puts into a database. Additionally, the network operatormay include wild cards inside the Network number. In this step,extraction is an example before Regular Expression a be used to matchnumbers to the network number. A regular expression is an expression ofhow a computer program should look for a specified pattern in text andthen what the program is to do when each pattern match is found. Regularexpressions are written in a formal language that is interpreted by aprogram that either serves as a parser generator or examines text andidentifies parts that match the provided specification. At block 24 themobile device searches the directory storing the data base of portionsof network addresses associated with User Names for the portion of thenetwork address that was extracted at block 23. From that search themobile device would identify the User Name associated with the portionof the network address in the MSM, as illustrated in block 25. At block26, that mobile device displays the MSM and the user name in the mobiledevice display.

FIG. 3( a) illustrates the data components that may be associated with aplurality of services offered by one or more service providers. For eachservice 30, there is an associated Network address 31. The networkaddress 31 would be included as the originator address in any MSM forthe service provider. FIG. 3( b) illustrates data components that may beincluded in the data base a directory in a storage component of themobile device. The fields would include a portion or fragment of thenetwork address 32 and an associated User name 33. FIG. 3( c)illustrates a representative portion of the header information of anMSM, including the network address 34 of the originator of the MSM, andthe appended message 35. FIG. 3( d) illustrates how a message may bedisplayed in the mobile device that does not use the presently describedmethod of converting the network address to a User Name, and FIG. 3( e)illustrates how the same message would be displayed using the method ofthis application. In FIG. 3( d) the network address 36 would bedisplayed in the “From” field. To most users, the network address doesnot effectively communicate the source of the message. In FIG. 3( e),the User Name 37 is displayed in the “From” field, and the user isapprised that the message was sent by their e-mail service provider andis not billable.

The systems and methods for providing user names for network addressesmay be implemented in a variety of mobile devices, such as wirelessdevices used in a variety of networks as described below.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example wireless device 1010 that may be used inconnection with an embodiment. References will also be made to otherfigures of the present disclosure as appropriate. For example, device102 may be a wireless device of the type described in regard to FIG. 4,and may have some, all, or none of the components and modules describedin regard to FIG. 4. It will be appreciated that the components andmodules of wireless device 1010 illustrated in FIG. 4 are illustrative,and that any number and type of components and/or modules may be presentin wireless device 1010. In addition, the functions performed by any orall of the components and modules illustrated in FIG. 4 may be performedby any number of physical components. Thus, it is possible that in someembodiments the functionality of more than one component and/or moduleillustrated in FIG. 4 may be performed by any number or types ofhardware and/or software.

Processor 1021 may be any type of circuitry that performs operations onbehalf of wireless device 1010. In one embodiment, processor 1021executes software (i.e., computer readable instructions stored in acomputer readable medium) that may include functionality related toconstructing, transmitting, receiving messages such as SMS and MMSmessages, operating an address book, and determining alternateaddresses, for example. User interface module 1022 may be any type orcombination of hardware and/or software that enables a user to operateand interact with wireless device 1010, in one embodiment, to composeand read messages. For example, user interface module 1022 may include adisplay, physical and “soft” keys, voice recognition software,microphone, speaker and the like. Wireless communication module 1023 maybe any type or combination of hardware and/or software that enableswireless device 1010 to communicate with, for example, network 103 orany other type of wireless communications network. Memory 1024 enableswireless device 1010 to store information, such as an address book,contacts information, or the like. Memory 1024 may take any form, suchas internal random access memory (RAM), an SD card, a microSD card andthe like. Power supply 1025 may be a battery or other type of powerinput (e.g., a charging cable that is connected to an electrical outlet,etc.) that is capable of powering wireless device 1010.

GPS communication module 1026 may be any type or combination of hardwareand/or software that enables wireless device 1010 to communicate withGPS location equipment. In one embodiment, wireless communication module1023 may perform the functions of GPS communication module 1026. In analternative embodiment, GPS communication module 1026 may be separatefrom wireless communication module 1023.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example processor 1158 which may beemployed in any of the embodiments described herein, including as one ormore components of a communications device such as device 102 which maybe a wireless communications device, as one or more components ofcommunications network equipment or related equipment, such as anycomponent of network 103, and/or as one or more components of any thirdparty system or subsystems that may implement any portion of the subjectmatter described herein. It is emphasized that the block diagramdepicted in FIG. 5 is exemplary and not intended to imply a specificimplementation. Thus, the processor 1158 can be implemented in a singleprocessor or multiple processors. Multiple processors can be distributedor centrally located. Multiple processors can communicate wirelessly,via hard wire, or a combination thereof

The processor 1158 comprises a processing portion 1160, a memory portion1162, and an input/output portion 1164. The processing portion 560,memory portion 562, and input/output portion 1164 are coupled together(coupling not shown in FIG. 5) to allow communications between theseportions. The input/output portion 1164 is capable of providing and/orreceiving components utilized to, for example, transmit/receive messagesand/or transmit/receive data for an address book or contact list.

The processor 1158 can be implemented as a client processor and/or aserver processor. In a basic configuration, the processor 1158 mayinclude at least one processing portion 1160 and memory portion 1162.The memory portion 1162 can store any information utilized inconjunction with transmitting, receiving, and/or processing messages,contact information and numbers, determining alternate contacts, etc.For example, as described above, the memory portion is capable ofstoring an address book and software capable of operating the addressbook and determining alternate numbers. Depending upon the exactconfiguration and type of processor, the memory portion 1162 can bevolatile (such as RAM) 1166, non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory,etc.) 1168, or a combination thereof The processor 1158 can haveadditional features/functionality. For example, the processor 1158 caninclude additional storage (removable storage 1170 and/or non-removablestorage 1172) including, but not limited to, magnetic or optical disks,tape, flash, smart cards or a combination thereof Computer storagemedia, such as memory and storage elements 1162, 1170, 1172, 1166, and1168, include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removablemedia implemented in any method or technology for storage of informationsuch as computer readable instructions, data structures, programmodules, or other data. Computer storage media include, but are notlimited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology,CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magneticcassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magneticstorage devices, universal serial bus (USB) compatible memory, smartcards, or any other medium which can be used to store the desiredinformation and which can be accessed by the processor 1158. Any suchcomputer storage media may be part of the processor 1158.

The processor 1158 can also contain the communications connection(s)1180 that allow the processor 1158 to communicate with other devices,for example through network 103. Communications connection(s) 1180 is anexample of communication media. Communication media typically embodycomputer readable instructions, data structures, program modules orother data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or othertransport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. Theterm “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of itscharacteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode informationin the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communicationmedia includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wiredconnection as might be used with a land line telephone, and wirelessmedia such as acoustic, RF, infrared, cellular, and other wirelessmedia. The term computer readable media as used herein includes bothstorage media and communication media. The processor 1158 also can haveinput device(s) 1176 such as keyboard, keypad, mouse, pen, voice inputdevice, touch input device, etc. Output device(s) 1174 such as adisplay, speakers, printer, etc. also can be included.

Network 103 may comprise any appropriate telephony radio network, or anyother type of communications network, or any combination thereof Thefollowing description sets forth some exemplary telephony radionetworks, such as the global system for mobile communications (GSM), andnon-limiting operating environments. The below-described operatingenvironments should be considered non-exhaustive, however, and thus thebelow-described network architectures merely show how IP cellularbroadcast may be used with stationary and non-stationary networkstructures and architectures. It can be appreciated, however, thatsystems for providing user names for network addresses such as thosedescribed herein can be incorporated with existing and/or futurealternative architectures for communication networks as well.

The GSM is one of the most widely utilized wireless access systems intoday's fast growing communication environment. The GSM providescircuit-switched data services to subscribers, such as mobile telephoneor computer users. The General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), which is anextension to GSM technology, introduces packet switching to GSMnetworks. The GPRS uses a packet-based wireless communication technologyto transfer high and low speed data and signaling in an efficientmanner. The GPRS attempts to optimize the use of network and radioresources, thus enabling the cost effective and efficient use of GSMnetwork resources for packet mode applications.

As one of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate, the exemplaryGSM/GPRS environment and services described herein also can be extendedto 3G services, such as Universal Mobile Telephone System (UMTS),Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) and Time Division Duplexing (TDD),High Speed Packet Data Access (HSPDA), cdma2000 1x Evolution DataOptimized (EVDO), Code Division Multiple Access-2000 (cdma2000 3x), TimeDivision Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA), WidebandCode Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Enhanced Data GSM Environment(EDGE), International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000), DigitalEnhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), 4G Services such as LongTerm Evolution (LTE), etc., as well as to other network services thatbecome available in time. In this regard, the techniques of theutilization of SMS, MMS, and/or cellular broadcast can be appliedindependently of the method of data transport, and do not depend on anyparticular network architecture, or underlying protocols.

FIG. 6 depicts an overall block diagram of an exemplary packet-basedmobile cellular network environment, such as a GPRS network, in whichsystems providing user names for network addresses such as thosedescribed herein can be practiced. In an example configuration, network103 may be encompassed by the network environment depicted in FIG. 6. Insuch an environment, there may be a plurality of Base Station Subsystems(BSS) 900 (only one is shown), each of which comprises a Base StationController (BSC) 902 serving a plurality of Base Transceiver Stations(BTS) such as BTSs 904, 906, and 908. BTSs 904, 906, 908, etc. are theaccess points where users of packet-based mobile devices (e.g., device102) become connected to the wireless network. In exemplary fashion, thepacket traffic originating from user devices (e.g., device 102 anddevice 104) may be transported via an over-the-air interface to a BTS908, and from the BTS 908 to the BSC 902. Base station subsystems, suchas BSS 900, may be a part of internal frame relay network 910 that caninclude Service GPRS Support Nodes (SGSN) such as SGSN 912 and 914. EachSGSN may be connected to an internal packet network 920 through which aSGSN 912, 914, etc. may route data packets to and from a plurality ofgateway GPRS support nodes (GGSN) 922, 924, 926, etc. As illustrated,SGSN 914 and GGSNs 922, 924, and 926 may be part of internal packetnetwork 920. Gateway GPRS serving nodes 922, 924 and 926 may provide aninterface to external Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as PublicLand Mobile Network (PLMN) 950, corporate intranets 940, or Fixed-EndSystem (FES) or the public Internet 930. As illustrated, subscribercorporate network 940 may be connected to GGSN 924 via firewall 932; andPLMN 950 may be connected to GGSN 924 via boarder gateway router 934.The Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server 942 maybe used for caller authentication when a user of a mobile cellulardevice calls corporate network 940.

Generally, there can be four different cell sizes in a GSM network,referred to as macro, micro, pico, and umbrella cells. The coverage areaof each cell is different in different environments. Macro cells may beregarded as cells in which the base station antenna is installed in amast or a building above average roof top level. Micro cells are cellswhose antenna height is under average roof top level. Micro-cells may betypically used in urban areas. Pico cells are small cells having adiameter of a few dozen meters. Pico cells may be used mainly indoors.On the other hand, umbrella cells may be used to cover shadowed regionsof smaller cells and fill in gaps in coverage between those cells.

FIG. 7 illustrates an architecture of a typical GPRS network segmentedinto four groups: users 1050, radio access network 1060, core network1070, and interconnect network 1080. Users 1050 may comprise a pluralityof end users (though only mobile subscriber 1055 is shown in FIG. 7). Inan example embodiment, the device depicted as mobile subscriber 1055 maycomprise device 102 and/or device 104. Radio access network 1060comprises a plurality of base station subsystems such as BSSs 1062,which include BTSs 1064 and BSCs 1066. Core network 1070 comprises ahost of various network elements. As illustrated here, core network 1070may comprise Mobile Switching Center (MSC) 1071, Service Control Point(SCP) 1072, gateway MSC 1073, SGSN 1076, Home Location Register (HLR)1074, Authentication Center (AuC) 1075, Domain Name Server (DNS) 1077,and GGSN 1078. Interconnect network 1080 may also comprise a host ofvarious networks and other network elements. As illustrated in FIG. 7,interconnect network 1080 comprises Public Switched Telephone Network(PSTN) 1082, Fixed-End System (FES) or Internet 1084, firewall 1088, andCorporate Network 1089.

A mobile switching center may be connected to a large number of basestation controllers. At MSC 1071, for instance, depending on the type oftraffic, the traffic may be separated in that voice may be sent toPublic Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 1082 through Gateway MSC (GMSC)1073, and/or data may be sent to SGSN 1076, which then sends the datatraffic to GGSN 1078 for further forwarding.

When MSC 1071 receives call traffic, for example, from BSC 1066, it maysend a query to a database hosted by SCP 1072. The SCP 1072 may processthe request and may issue a response to MSC 1071 so that it may continuecall processing as appropriate.

The HLR 1074 may be a centralized database for users to register to theGPRS network. HLR 1074 may store static information about thesubscribers such as the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI),subscribed services, and a key for authenticating the subscriber. HLR1074 may also store dynamic subscriber information such as the currentlocation of the mobile subscriber. HLR 1074 may also serve to interceptand determine the validity of destination numbers in messages sent froma device, such as mobile subscriber 1055, as described herein.Associated with HLR 1074 may be AuC 1075. AuC 1075 may be a databasethat contains the algorithms for authenticating subscribers and mayinclude the associated keys for encryption to safeguard the user inputfor authentication.

In the following, depending on context, the term “mobile subscriber”sometimes refers to the end user and sometimes to the actual portabledevice, such as device 102, used by an end user of the mobile cellularservice. When a mobile subscriber turns on his or her mobile device, themobile device may go through an attach process by which the mobiledevice attaches to an SGSN of the GPRS network. In FIG. 7, when mobilesubscriber 1055 initiates the attach process by turning on the networkcapabilities of the mobile device, an attach request may be sent bymobile subscriber 1055 to SGSN 1076. The SGSN 1076 queries another SGSN,to which mobile subscriber 1055 was attached before, for the identity ofmobile subscriber 1055. Upon receiving the identity of mobile subscriber1055 from the other SGSN, SGSN 1076 may request more information frommobile subscriber 1055. This information may be used to authenticatemobile subscriber 1055 to SGSN 1076 by HLR 1074. Once verified, SGSN1076 sends a location update to HLR 1074 indicating the change oflocation to a new SGSN, in this case SGSN 1076. HLR 1074 may notify theold SGSN, to which mobile subscriber 1055 was attached before, to cancelthe location process for mobile subscriber 1055. HLR 1074 may thennotify SGSN 1076 that the location update has been performed. At thistime, SGSN 1076 sends an Attach Accept message to mobile subscriber1055, which in turn sends an Attach Complete message to SGSN 1076.

After attaching itself with the network, mobile subscriber 1055 may thengo through the authentication process. In the authentication process,SGSN 1076 may send the authentication information to HLR 1074, which maysend information back to SGSN 1076 based on the user profile that waspart of the user's initial setup. The SGSN 1076 may then send a requestfor authentication and ciphering to mobile subscriber 1055. The mobilesubscriber 1055 may use an algorithm to send the user identification(ID) and password to SGSN 1076. The SGSN 1076 may use the same algorithmand compares the result. If a match occurs, SGSN 1076 authenticatesmobile subscriber 1055.

Next, the mobile subscriber 1055 may establish a user session with thedestination network, corporate network 1089, by going through a PacketData Protocol (PDP) activation process. Briefly, in the process, mobilesubscriber 1055 may request access to the Access Point Name (APN), forexample, UPS.com, and SGSN 1076 may receive the activation request frommobile subscriber 1055. SGSN 1076 may then initiate a Domain NameService (DNS) query to learn which GGSN node has access to the UPS.comAPN. The DNS query may be sent to the DNS server within the core network1070, such as DNS 1077, which may be provisioned to map to one or moreGGSN nodes in the core network 1070. Based on the APN, the mapped GGSN1078 can access the requested corporate network 1089. The SGSN 1076 maythen send to GGSN 1078 a Create Packet Data Protocol (PDP) ContextRequest message that contains necessary information. The GGSN 1078 maysend a Create PDP Context Response message to SGSN 1076, which may thensend an Activate PDP Context Accept message to mobile subscriber 1055.

Once activated, data packets of the call made by mobile subscriber 1055may then go through radio access network 1060, core network 1070, andinterconnect network 1080, in a particular fixed-end system, or Internet1084 and firewall 1088, to reach corporate network 1089.

Thus, network elements that can invoke the functionality of messagesystems and methods for providing user names for network addresses suchas those described herein can include but are not limited to GatewayGPRS Support Node tables, Fixed End System router tables, firewallsystems, VPN tunnels, and any number of other network elements asrequired by the particular digital network.

FIG. 8 illustrates another exemplary block diagram view of a GSM/GPRS/IPmultimedia network architecture 1100 in which systems providing usernames for network addresses such as those described herein can beincorporated. As illustrated, architecture 1100 of FIG. 8 includes a GSMcore network 1101, a GPRS network 1130 and an IP multimedia network1138. The GSM core network 1101 includes a Mobile Station (MS) 1102, atleast one Base Transceiver Station (BTS) 1104 and a Base StationController (BSC) 1106. The MS 1102 is physical equipment or MobileEquipment (ME), such as a mobile telephone or a laptop computer (e.g.,device 102) that is used by mobile subscribers, with a Subscriberidentity Module (SIM). The SIM includes an International MobileSubscriber Identity (IMSI), which is a unique identifier of asubscriber. The BTS 1104 may be physical equipment, such as a radiotower, that enables a radio interface to communicate with the MS. EachBTS may serve more than one MS. The BSC 1106 may manage radio resources,including the BTS. The BSC may be connected to several BTSs. The BSC andBTS components, in combination, are generally referred to as a basestation (BSS) or radio access network (RAN) 1103.

The GSM core network 1101 may also include a Mobile Switching Center(MSC) 1108, a Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC) 1110, a HomeLocation Register (HLR) 1112, Visitor Location Register (VLR) 1114, anAuthentication Center (AuC) 1118, and an Equipment Identity Register(EIR) 1116. The MSC 1108 may perform a switching function for thenetwork. The MSC may also perform other functions, such as registration,authentication, location updating, handovers, and call routing. The GMSC1110 may provide a gateway between the GSM network and other networks,such as an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) or Public SwitchedTelephone Networks (PSTNs) 1120. Thus, the GMSC 1110 providesinterworking functionality with external networks.

The HLR 1112 is a database that may contain administrative informationregarding each subscriber registered in a corresponding GSM network.Such information may also include address book data and/or messageforwarding preferences for each subscriber. The HLR 1112 may alsocontain the current location of each MS. The VLR 1114 may be a databasethat contains selected administrative information from the HLR 1112. TheVLR may contain information necessary for call control and provision ofsubscribed services for each MS currently located in a geographical areacontrolled by the VLR. The VLR may also contain address book data and/ormessage forwarding preferences for each subscriber. The HLR 1112 and theVLR 1114, together with the MSC 1108, may provide the call routing androaming capabilities of GSM, as well as message forwardingfunctionality. The AuC 1116 may provide the parameters needed forauthentication and encryption functions. Such parameters allowverification of a subscriber's identity. The EIR 1118 may storesecurity-sensitive information about the mobile equipment.

A Short Message Service Center (SMSC) 1109 allows one-to-one shortmessage service (SMS), or multimedia message service (MMS), messages tobe sent to/from the MS 1102. A Push Proxy Gateway (PPG) 1111 is used to“push” (i.e., send without a synchronous request) content to the MS1102. The PPG 1111 acts as a proxy between wired and wireless networksto facilitate pushing of data to the MS 1102. A Short Message Peer toPeer (SMPP) protocol router 1113 may be provided to convert SMS-basedSMPP messages to cell broadcast messages. SMPP is a protocol forexchanging SMS messages between SMS peer entities such as short messageservice centers. The SMPP protocol is often used to allow third parties,e.g., content suppliers such as news organizations, to submit bulkmessages.

To gain access to GSM services, such as speech, data, short messageservice (SMS), and multimedia message service (MMS), the MS may firstregister with the network to indicate its current location by performinga location update and IMSI attach procedure. The MS 1102 may send alocation update including its current location information to theMSC/VLR, via the BTS 1104 and the BSC 1106. The location information maythen be sent to the MS's HLR. The HLR may be updated with the locationinformation received from the MSC/VLR. The location update may also beperformed when the MS moves to a new location area. Typically, thelocation update may be periodically performed to update the database aslocation updating events occur.

The GPRS network 1130 may be logically implemented on the GSM corenetwork architecture by introducing two packet-switching network nodes,a serving GPRS support node (SGSN) 1132, a cell broadcast and a GatewayGPRS support node (GGSN) 1134. The SGSN 1132 may be at the samehierarchical level as the MSC 1108 in the GSM network. The SGSN maycontrol the connection between the GPRS network and the MS 1102. TheSGSN may also keep track of individual MS's locations and securityfunctions and access controls.

A Cell Broadcast Center (CBC) 1133 may communicate cell broadcastmessages that are typically delivered to multiple users in a specifiedarea. Cell Broadcast is one-to-many geographically focused service. Itenables messages to be communicated to multiple mobile telephonecustomers who are located within a given part of its network coveragearea at the time the message is broadcast.

The GGSN 1134 may provide a gateway between the GPRS network and apublic packet network (PDN) or other IP networks 1136. That is, the GGSNmay provide interworking functionality with external networks, and setup a logical link to the MS through the SGSN. When packet-switched dataleaves the GPRS network, it may be transferred to an external TCP-IPnetwork 1136, such as an X.25 network or the Internet. In order toaccess GPRS services, the MS first attaches itself to the GPRS networkby performing an attach procedure. The MS then activates a packet dataprotocol (PDP) context, thus activating a packet communication sessionbetween the MS, the SGSN, and the GGSN.

In a GSM/GPRS network, GPRS services and GSM services may be used inparallel. The MS may operate in one three classes: class A, class B, andclass C. A class A MS may attach to the network for both GPRS servicesand GSM services simultaneously. A class A MS may also supportsimultaneous operation of GPRS services and GSM services. For example,class A mobiles may receive GSM voice/data/SMS calls and GPRS data callsat the same time.

A class B MS may attach to the network for both GPRS services and GSMservices simultaneously. However, a class B MS does not supportsimultaneous operation of the GPRS services and GSM services. That is, aclass B MS can only use one of the two services at a given time.

A class C MS can attach for only one of the GPRS services and GSMservices at a time. Simultaneous attachment and operation of GPRSservices and GSM services is not possible with a class C MS.

A GPRS network 1130 may be designed to operate in three networkoperation modes (NOM1, NOM2 and NOM3). A network operation mode of aGPRS network may be indicated by a parameter in system informationmessages transmitted within a cell. The system information messages maydirect a MS where to listen for paging messages and how to signaltowards the network. The network operation mode represents thecapabilities of the GPRS network. In a NOM1 network, a MS can receivepages from a circuit switched domain (voice call) when engaged in a datacall. The MS can suspend the data call or take both simultaneously,depending on the ability of the MS. In a NOM2 network, a MS may notreceive pages from a circuit switched domain when engaged in a datacall, since the MS is receiving data and is not listening to a pagingchannel. In a NOM3 network, a MS can monitor pages for a circuitswitched network while receiving data and vice versa.

The IP multimedia network 1138 was introduced with 3GPP Release 5, andmay include an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) 1140 to provide richmultimedia services to end users. A representative set of the networkentities within the IMS 1140 are a call/session control function (CSCF),a media gateway control function (MGCF) 1146, a media gateway (MGW)1148, and a master subscriber database, called a home subscriber server(HSS) 1150. The HSS 1150 may be common to the GSM core network 1101, theGPRS network 1130 as well as the IP multimedia network 1138.

The IP multimedia system 1140 may be built around the call/sessioncontrol function, of which there are three types: an interrogating CSCF(I-CSCF) 1143, a proxy CSCF (P-CSCF) 1142, and a serving CSCF (S-CSCF)1144. The P-CSCF 1142 is the MS's first point of contact with the IMS1140. The P-CSCF 1142 may forward session initiation protocol (SIP)messages received from the MS to an SIP server in a home network (andvice versa) of the MS. The P-CSCF 1142 may also modify an outgoingrequest according to a set of rules defined by the network operator (forexample, address analysis and potential modification).

The I-CSCF 1143 forms an entrance to a home network and hides the innertopology of the home network from other networks and providesflexibility for selecting an S-CSCF. The I-CSCF 1143 may contact asubscriber location function (SLF) 1145 to determine which HSS 1150 touse for the particular subscriber, if multiple HSSs 1150 are present.The S-CSCF 1144 may perform the session control services for the MS1102. This includes routing originating sessions to external networksand routing terminating sessions to visited networks. The S-CSCF 1144may also decide whether an application server (AS) 1152 is required toreceive information on an incoming SIP session request to ensureappropriate service handling. This decision is based on informationreceived from the HSS 1150 (or other sources, such as an applicationserver 1152). The AS 1152 may also communicate to a location server 1156(e.g., a Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC)) that provides a position(e.g., latitude/longitude coordinates) of the MS 1102.

The HSS 1150 may contain a subscriber profile and keep track of whichcore network node is currently handling the subscriber. It may alsosupport subscriber authentication and authorization functions (AAA). Innetworks with more than one HSS 1150, a subscriber location functionprovides information on the HSS 1150 that contains the profile of agiven subscriber.

The MGCF 1146 may provide interworking functionality between SIP sessioncontrol signaling from the IMS 1140 and ISUP/BICC call control signalingfrom the external GSTN networks (not shown.) It may also control themedia gateway (MGW) 1148 that provides user-plane interworkingfunctionality (e.g., converting between AMR- and PCM-coded voice.) TheMGW 1148 may also communicate with other IP multimedia networks 1154.

While example embodiments systems and methods providing user names fornetwork addresses such as those described herein have been described inconnection with various computing devices/processors, the underlyingconcepts can be applied to any computing device, processor, or systemcapable of implementing the systems and methods for providing user namesfor network addresses described. The various techniques described hereincan be implemented in connection with hardware or software or, whereappropriate, with a combination of both. Thus, the methods andapparatuses for the systems and methods for providing user names fornetwork addresses, or certain aspects or portions thereof, can take theform of program code (i.e., instructions) embodied in tangible media,such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any othermachine-readable storage medium, wherein, when the program code isloaded into and executed by a machine, such as a computer, the machinebecomes an apparatus for a system for providing user names for networkaddresses. In the case of program code execution on programmablecomputers, the computing device will generally include a processor, astorage medium readable by the processor (including volatile andnon-volatile memory and/or storage elements), at least one input device,and at least one output device. The program(s) can be implemented inassembly or machine language, if desired. The language can be a compiledor interpreted language, and combined with hardware implementations.

The methods and systems for providing user names for network addressesas described herein can also be practiced via communications embodied inthe form of program code that is transmitted over some transmissionmedium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics,or via any other form of transmission, wherein, when the program code isreceived and loaded into and executed by a machine, such as an EPROM, agate array, a programmable logic device (PLD), a client computer, or thelike, the machine becomes an apparatus a message forwarding system. Whenimplemented on a general-purpose processor, the program code combineswith the processor to provide a unique apparatus that operates to invokethe functionality of a message forwarding system. Additionally, anystorage techniques used in connection with a message forwarding systemcan invariably be a combination of hardware and software.

While the systems and methods for providing user names for networkaddresses have been described in connection with the various embodimentsof the various figures, it is to be understood that other similarembodiments can be used or modifications and additions can be made tothe described embodiments for performing the same function messageforwarding without deviating from the described systems and methods. Forexample, one skilled in the art will recognize that a system providinguser names for network addresses as described in the present applicationmay apply to any environment, whether wired or wireless, and may beapplied to any number of such devices connected via a communicationsnetwork and interacting across the network. Therefore, systems providinguser names for network addresses such as those described herein shouldnot be limited to any single embodiment, but rather should be construedin breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims. These andother changes can be made to the invention in light of the abovedetailed description. In general, in the following claims, the termsused should not be construed to limit the invention to the specificembodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should beconstrued to include all networked digital messaging systems thatoperate under the claims. Accordingly, the invention is not limited bythe disclosure, but instead the scope of the invention is to bedetermined entirely by the claims.

While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certainclaim forms, the inventors contemplate the various aspects of theinvention in any number of claim forms. For example, while only oneaspect of the invention is recited as embodied in a computer-readablemedium, other aspects may likewise be embodied in a computer-readablemedium. Accordingly, the inventors reserve the right to add additionalclaims after filing the application to pursue such additional claimforms for other aspects of the invention.

What is claimed:
 1. A computer-readable storage medium that is not apropagating signal, the computer-readable storage medium comprisingexecutable instructions that when executed by a processor cause theprocessor to effectuate operations comprising: storing a user nameassociated with a portion of a network address in a storage component ina mobile device; storing information identifying Message Servicemessages from the network address as one of billable or nonbillable;receiving, by the mobile device, a Message Service message from thenetwork address, the network address being included as an Originatoraddress in a transfer Protocol User Data Header; extracting, by themobile device, the portion of the network address from the receivedOriginator address in the transfer Protocol User Data Header; searchingthe storage component in the mobile device for said extracted portion ofthe network address; determining, by the mobile device, the user nameassociated with said extracted portion of the network address;displaying the Message Service message and the user name on the mobiledevice display; and displaying information identifying the MessageService message as one of billable or nonbillable.
 2. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein: the networkaddress comprises an alphanumeric string with N characters; the portionof the network address comprises an alphanumeric string with Mcharacters; N and M are positive integers; and M is less than or equalto N.
 3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein: thenetwork address comprises ten numeric characters; and the portion of thenetwork address comprises the first five numeric characters of thenetwork address.
 4. A computer-readable storage medium that is not apropagating signal, the computer-readable storage medium comprisingexecutable instructions that when executed by a processor cause theprocessor to effectuate operations comprising: associating a user namewith a portion of a network address; instructing a mobile device tostore the portion of the network address and associated user names in astorage component of the mobile device; instructing the mobile device tostore information identifying Message Service messages as one ofbillable or nonbillable; instructing the mobile device to display theuser name associated with the portion of network address in MessageService message displays in the mobile device when the mobile devicereceives a Message Service message having the network address as anOriginator address in a transfer Protocol User Data Header; andinstructing the mobile device to display information identifying theMessage Service message as one of billable or nonbillable.
 5. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 4, the operations furthercomprising instructing the mobile device to store the portion of thenetwork address and associated user names in a hidden directory in astorage component of the mobile device.
 6. The computer-readable storagemedium of claim 4, wherein: the network address comprises analphanumeric string with N characters; the portion of the networkaddress comprises an alphanumeric string with M characters; N and M arepositive integers; and M is less than or equal to N.
 7. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 4, the operations furthercomprising transmitting an executable application to the mobile device.8. A mobile device comprising: a processor; and memory coupled to theprocessor, the memory comprising executable instructions the whenexecuted by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operationscomprising: associating a user name with a portion of a network address;storing the portion of the network address and associated user names ina storage component of the mobile device; storing informationidentifying Message Service messages as one of billable or nonbillable;displaying the user name associated with the portion of network addressin Message Service message displays in the mobile device when the mobiledevice receives a Message Service message having the network address asan Originator address in a transfer Protocol User Data Header; anddisplaying information identifying the Message Service message as one ofbillable or nonbillable.
 9. The mobile device of claim 8, the operationsfurther comprising storing the portion of the network address andassociated user names in a hidden directory in a storage component ofthe mobile device.
 10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein: thenetwork address comprises an alphanumeric string with N characters; theportion of the network address comprises an alphanumeric string with Mcharacters; N and M are positive integers; and M is less than or equalto N.
 11. The mobile device of claim 8, the operations furthercomprising transmitting an executable application to the mobile device.